One of the Northern Territory's biggest investigations entered a third day as scores of people scoured tough terrain near Alice Springs in the hunt for Sharon Granites and recently released prisoner Jefferson Lewis.
The 47-year-old is believed to have lured Sharon away from her Old Timers town camp residence while likely affected by alcohol after earlier being seen holding the little girl's hand, police said on Tuesday.
Mr Lewis had been released from prison just six days earlier.
No sightings have been confirmed but police did not rule out the pair being within an established 20 square kilometre search zone, telling media on Tuesday they believed the girl was still alive.
"Our number one mission is to find little Sharon safe and well and we're doing everything within our power," Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said in Alice Springs.
The large scale search gained national attention as support was thrown behind Sharon's distraught family.
"This breaks the heart of everyone who hears about this story," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
"Every parent's worst fear is your child going missing. We just hope that this little girl is found.
"We hope that it becomes a very good news story ... on behalf of all Australians, we want to see a safe return."
Sharon was last seen by her family when she was taken to bed about 11.30pm on Saturday.
She was reported missing about two hours later.
Police do not have a motive for the alleged abduction, saying Mr Lewis had a "loose connection" to Sharon's family and was staying at their Old Timers Aboriginal town camp residence after being released from prison.
From 2016 to 2025 Mr Lewis was sentenced to 64 months in prison for offences including multiple aggravated assaults, breaching domestic violence orders, resisting police and breaching bail.
In the lead-up to the suspected abduction, police said officers had been called out to a party at Old Timers town camp on Saturday night but no offences had been detected.
Police have released body worn camera images of Mr Lewis captured on the night.
Mr Lewis was probably under the influence of alcohol and was seen holding hands with Sharon about 11pm, Mr Malley said.
He allegedly led the little girl away toward an area that has been declared a crime scene near Alice Springs Telegraph Station, with police saying a number of items of interest had been located in the area.
Mr Lewis went missing at the same time of Sharon's disappearance.
"It was pretty easy to put two and two together," Mr Malley said.
Police did not believe Mr Lewis had access to a vehicle but did not rule out someone could be driving him around.
"As time goes on, the chances of finding her alive and well reduce, hence the amount of resources we have here in Alice Springs," Mr Malley said.
About 70 volunteers on Tuesday were assisting police, emergency services and defence personnel across the search zone radiating from the town camp.
Helicopters, heat-seeking drones, dog units, horses, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles have been deployed as well as Aboriginal trackers and members of a specialised infantry regiment of the Australian Army Reserve.
The Central Land Council, representing central NT Aboriginal communities, said it had staff searching in cars and all-terrain vehicles as support was thrown behind Sharon's "very distressed" family.
Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price backed police calls for the outback community to come forward with any information they had to help find Sharon.
"If you know anything - no matter how small - please come forward ... let's help bring her home," she posted on Facebook.
18°C